


You Can't Have A New Chance Wothout Sacrifice

by AdamHorman



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, M/M, Multi, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24557932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdamHorman/pseuds/AdamHorman
Summary: They lost to Geae. After years running away from the monsters for years, Nico is the only survivor. He is saved by Chronos, Protogenos of time and Ananke, Protogenos of Fate, who proposes to send back him time.Now, in his 10 year old body, in Lotus Casino, will change the fates of both wars.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase & Nico di Angelo, Nico di Angelo & Hades, Nico di Angelo & Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson
Comments: 16
Kudos: 165





	You Can't Have A New Chance Wothout Sacrifice

"No. Are you serious? No. Absolutely not." 

Protogenos of Time and Protogenos of Fate and Inevitability didn't look all that concerned at Nico's rejection. They even looked like they were amused like they knew something he didn't.

"The Gaea has won, Nico Di Angelo." Ananke, Protogenos of Fate and Inevitability said. "Humanity is long gone. Even their souls no longer exist." 

It was true. Gaea's forces had already launched an attack on Underworld. His father's domain was a part of Tartarus now. Still, Nico didn't want to accept their offer. He just wanted to rest. He was tired, dammit. 

All around them were the ruins of the old human civilization. Everything was covered in plants and dirt. Everything was returning back to earth. To Gaea. 

"Why do you look like this?" he asked the two primordial gods before him. Because what stood in front of him was not two gods that came before Chaos. No. What stood in front of him was an Annabeth Chase and a Percy Jackson. They looked exactly the same as his old friends. Besides their red eyes, that is. 

"Our true forms are not to be seen by mortal's like you." Protogenos of Time, Chronos said. Nico couldn't look at his face no matter how much he tried. It was disturbing to see that face with that name. Even more disturbing was the red eyes, not the sea-green he had grown to love. "Your eyes only see what you want to see most now." 

Nico wanted to give a bitter laugh but hold himself. He wasn't sure if he should laugh in front of such powerful beings. Of course, he would want to see Annabeth and Percy now. Leaving his love for Percy aside, Annabeth and Percy had always been his heroes. To Nico, they were just perfect. He had always thought if those two were together, they were unstoppable. Until Tartarus of course. 

Gods, he wanted to see them again. He wanted to cry with them, grieve with them, laugh with them, apologize to them, make amends for his mistakes and be friends again. Nico thought, if not for his jealousy for Percy, he and Annabeth would be good friends. 

But he could do that, couldn't he? All he had to do was accept Chronos' and Ananke's offer. Then he could start over. 

But the price for that…. 

"Is there no other way?" he asked because he really didn't want to do this. And it wasn't his choice to make. 

Ananke shook her head. "No, Nico di Angelo. The spell is an old one. It requires a sacrifice." 

"Why?" Nico shouted because _he just can't accept this, why it always has to be her, fuck you two._ "You two are the personification of time and fate. Can't you just send me back instead of sacrificing my sister?" 

"Oh, we can travel through time ourselves." Chronos said like the thought of him not being able to do that was absurd. He was smug. Even worse than Zeus. "But you are mortal. We can't just send you back. A soul has to be reclaimed by us to send you back safely." 

"But why Bianca's soul? Why not just use some random criminal?" 

Hades, he didn't even wanna do this. Everything would be easier if it was Percy that was sent back. He would just screw everything worse than before. 

"It has to be someone you know. Or someone who loves you so that the sacrificed soul can anchor your journey. A random human wouldn't work." Ananke said and Nico tried not to cry. 

"What are you even thinking about?" Chronos said like he didn't even care. He probably didn't. "Your sister chose rebirth before did she not? What we are going to do is not different from that. We just need a bit essence of her soul. Then she will need to reincarnate in a new body to repair her soul anyway." 

When put like that, it sounded easier. Nico wished it was easier. 

"Okay." he managed to say after minutes of silence. He didn't sound so sure. But there was no choice for him. There was nothing left in this empty world. Not even an Elysium to go after death. Everyone just vanished to Chaos. It was a miracle he was able to run from Gaea for this long. 

Ananke and Chronos both smiled like they knew he would do this. They probably knew anyway. Those smiles did look nothing like Percy's caring and Annabeth's arrogant but kind smiles. Nico wanted to strangle them both. If they were as strong as Chaos, then why they were helping now instead of before?

A weird circle that looked like it came out of a fantasy novel appeared beneath him and Nico could see the world around him started shattering like it was made of glass. Ananke and Chronos were destroying this future. 

Then he heard a wail in the distance. It was Gaea. She sounded like she knew what they were doing and screaming, ' _Nooooo!'._ Nico wondered if the Earth Mother knew what Star Wars was. 

It would be funny if the situation was not so desperate. 

The world shattered more, leaving nothing but darkness behind. Nico saw Ananke's and Chronos' smug looks before they too shattered to darkness, leaving Nico to wonder if he made the right choice by trusting them. 

* * *

  
  


19-year-old Nico di Angelo woke up in his 10-year-old body, gasping for breath. That was the most painful and amazing thing he had ever seen. He could understand why the personification of time and fate said he needed an anchor to travel through time. Through the whole journey, he could feel someone supporting him. It felt like the hugs Bianca used to give him in winter days. 

_'Thanks, sis'_ he thought and of course that almost started a panic attack. 

Closing his eyes, Nico tried to forget the things he had seen through the journey. Chronos was right. These things were not to be seen by mortal eyes. It would make anyone mad. He would be too if not for Bianca's protection. 

He looked at the bed next to the one he was currently lying. It looked like someone had been lying there a minute ago and just suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Nico let his tears fall. 

* * *

  
  


The Lotus Hotel and Casino was truly a force to be feared. Too bad it didn't affect Nico as much as it used to. After Tartarus, he could hardly feel the hotel's magic. 

But he still stayed though. Nico knew for a fact that Annabeth, Grover and Percy came here during their first quest. It was one story Grover had told him when they were on the run. 

He didn't know the year but it was either Percy, Annabeth and Grover would come or Alecto would take him out. Nico waited and decided to sharpen his body.

This body was too small, too weak. Nothing like the scar covered, made for fight, old body of his. He could hardly shadow travel in this form and Nico wanted to be ready for everything before getting out. 

It was convenient that this hotel basically had everything. It was like a small world on its own. It even had a place to train for sword fights and had real swords. Not Celestial Bronze or Stygian Iron. Normal, steel swords but swords nonetheless. Nico could work with that. 

* * *

Nico didn't care about the time as he worked. Time moved slower for him as he wasn't affected by casino's magic as much as the others but it still flew unnaturally fast. It could be hours, days, weeks or even months. 

He tried to add a bit of muscle in his young body. He already had the skill but it was hard for him to even lift s sword this young. Good thing he was alone in the whole arena - no one would want to learn how to fight with a sword in this hotel - so he could practice his other skills too. Like shadow traveling, controlling shadow to fight - which came easier to him other than fighting. He wanted to summon a dead hero to spar but didn't want to alarm his father as Hades would undoubtedly know if he summoned the dead. 

After what felt like years - probably from excitement not from the hotel's magic - that Nico saw the young versions of his three friends came through the front door. 

He was glued to the spot as he watched them take the elevator and went to their room. Gods they were so young and Nico didn't want anything but to hug them. 

But they were not his friends. Not yet. Right now, Nico needed to make sure they got out of here safely. 

* * *

  
  


"The prophecy says we need to meet with a 'ghost king' in a hotel and he was going to take us to the underworld." Annabeth said as she tried to think about the that two particular lines of the prophecy. 

_'You shall find the ghost king in the hotel_

_And he shall take you wherever you go'_

"What is a 'ghost king'? Some kind of monster?" Percy asked, looking like he would rather go play with the games than thinking about the prophecy. Annabeth agreed with him. She wanted to test that city building game. 

"I have never seen a ghost." Grover said from where he was lying. 

"Who cares?! Let's go play!" Percy said and they were about to leave their room before someone knocked on their door. 

Looking at each other, Percy opened the door, expecting a room service. 

Behind the doorway was a boy around the age of 10. He had messy black hair and black eyes. Those eyes looking at them like they were the most unbelievable things in the world. 

"You are demigods." he said eventually. He said it in a weird voice though. 

All of them tensed, expecting the boy to turn into a monster or something. 

"You shouldn't be here." the boy said with a weird look. 

Percy's hand was going to Riptide before the boy spoke again. 

"This place is a trap." 

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Percy said, "this place is a trap to lure people in and make them never want to get out." 

Nico could only nod. 

"And if you are affected by the hotel's magic, the time passes fast." Annabeth said and Nico nodded. 

Both Percy and Annabeth turned to Grover who was looking around and sniffing.

"I do feel some kind of magic." he said. "But I don't smell any kind of monster." 

Annabeth sighed and looked around. She spotted a random person and asked him the year. 

"1985." the boy said like it was the most obvious thing in the world before walking away. 

Bewildered, Annabeth stopped a girl this time and asked the same question. 

"1993." the girl said before also walking away like in some kind of trance. 

"We have to get out of here." Annabeth said, looking panicked. "If the time really passes fast, days might have passed outside." 

Percy nodded and glanced at Nico. "How did you know we were half-blood anyway?" he asked.

_Oh shit! Quick di Angelo, think some lie! You aren't Grover._

"It is kinda obvious." he said. "He is a satyr, isn't he?" he said gesturing to Grover. "and sea-green eyes and grey eyes." he then said gesturing to Percy and Annabeth. "Not really a natural combination." 

Percy tilted his head. "Was it really that obvious?"

Before Nico could answer, Annabeth interrupted. 

"For god's sake! We can talk about that later. We have to find this 'ghost king' and leave this place." 

Nico tensed and his eyes' widened because _holy shit how do they know that?_

The other three noticed his tense. 

"Do you know the 'ghost king' ?" Annabeth asked.

Nico nodded, though he was panicking inside. 

"Great! Can you take us to him?" 

Nico shook his head. He was definitely panicking. 

"Why?" Percy asked. 

"No, because it is my title. My old friends used to call me that. No one alive knows that nickname. Where did you hear it?" he asked. How can they know his old title. 

Annabeth, Percy and Grover looked at each other for a moment before seemingly coming to decision. Annabeth turned back to him. 

"We are on a quest. The prophecy says that we need to find 'ghost king' in a hotel and he can take us to wherever we go." she explained. Nico leaned forward. 

"And where are you going?" he asked although he already knew where. 

"To Underworld." Percy blurted and Annabeth shot him a glare. 

"I know a safe way to go there." Nico admitted and three pairs of wide eyes turned to him. "But why would you want to go there?" 

They shared a look again. It looked like they were trying to determine what or not to tell him. A moment later, they turned back to him. 

"Hades stole Zeus' Master Bolt. He kidnapped my mom. We are going to save her and get the Bolt back." Percy blurted again and Annabeth shot him a glare again. Apparently, she didn't want to give that much information away but they didn't know each other as much as his Percy and Annabeth did. It was no surprise they couldn't read each other minds' that well. 

Nico couldn't help but snort because with all that mess in the Fields of Asphodel, especially without Daedalus' help, there was no way his father could start a war. 

"What's so funny?" 

"No, it is just that Hades wouldn't start a war. You are on the wrong track." 

They all looked surprised. "What do you mean?" Annabeth asked. 

"I will get you to Underworld." Nico said, standing up. "You will see what I am saying better once we get there." 

  
  



End file.
